Data server with hot replaceable processing unit modules

• US 6,742,068 B2
• Filed: 06/30/1997
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallagher, Brian, Teachout, Jeffrey, Pignolet, Lawrence G.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TIM T
• Application Number:
  US08/884,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20010011314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,521 Days
• Field of Search: 395/283, 395/750-1-7, 710/103, 710/100, 710/300, 710/301, 710/302, 710/303, 710/304, 713/310, 713/320, 713/322, 713/323, 713/324, 312/249.1, 361/724
• US Class Current: 710/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A data server having a plurality of hot replaceable processing unit modules. Each module includes a motherboard having plugged therein: a CPU; a main memory; an I/O adapter card, and an interconnect printed board, electrically connected to the motherboard. A backplane has a first connector adapted for coupling to a DC power supply. The interconnect printed circuit board has a DC to DC converter connected to a second connector adapted to mate with the first connector to enable the processing unit module to be hot plugged into, or removed from, the backplane. The backplane has formed thereon a strip transmission line adapted to provide an Ethernet bus for interconnecting a plurality of the modules. A cable management system for a cabinet used to house the module includes at least one vertically extending channel disposed in the cabinet and a fastener adapted to open and enable the a cable to be inserted into the channel and close to retain such cable within the channel. A chassis having a plurality of shelves for supporting electrical modules with a partitioning member adapted for removable insertion onto one of the shelves to accommodate modules with different widths. An I/O adapter card mounting plate, with captive hardware, adapted for securing an array of I/O adapted cards, and honey-combed I/O adapter card filler plate to a case. A method for booting operating system software into a main memory of a processing unit.

Claims

1. A data server, comprising:

(i) a backplane having a plurality of first electrical connectors;

(ii) a plurality of DC powered processing unit modules each one having;

a case, such case having stored therein;

(A) a motherboard;

a central processing unit plugged into the motherboard;

a main memory plugged into the motherboard; and

(B) an interconnect printed circuit board, electrically connected to the motherboard, the interconnect printed circuit board having a second electrical connector disposed at a rear end of the interconnect printed circuit board; and

(C) wherein such second electrical connector is adapted to enable the processing unit module to be plugged into and removed from a corresponding one of the plurality of the first electrical connectors.

2. The data server of claim 1 wherein the first electrical connector includes:

a first guide pin;

a second guide pin, shorter than said first guide pin; and

,

a plurality of electrical contacts.

3. The data server of claim 1 wherein the second electrical connector includes:

a first aperture adapted to receive a guide pin;

a second aperture adapted to receive a guide pin; and

,

a plurality of electrical contacts.

4. A data server, comprising:

(i) a backplane having a first electrical connector;

(ii) a processing unit module, having;

(A) motherboard having plugged therein;

a central processing unit; and

,

a main memory; and

(B) an interconnect printed circuit board, electrically connected to the motherboard, such interconnect printed circuit board having a second electrical connector; and

(iii) wherein such first and second electrical connector are adapted to enable the processing unit module to be hot plugged into, or removed from, the backplane.

5. The data server recited in claim 4 wherein the interconnect printed circuit board has mounted thereon a DC to DC converter electronically connected to the backplane, comprising:

an electrical connection adapted to receive DC power from a DC power source; and

,

a plurality of electrical connections, each one thereof supplying the received DC power at a corresponding different voltage level to a corresponding different one of a plurality of electrical components in such one of the plurality of processing unit modules.

6. A data server, comprising:

(i) a cabinet having a plurality of slots therein;

(ii) a backplane section disposed at a rear of the slots;

(iii) a plurality of hot replaceable, DC powered, processing unit modules, each one being adapted to be inserted in, or removed from, a corresponding one of the slots as such one of the processing unit modules is plugged into, or un-plugged from the backplane; and

(iv) wherein the backplane has a first electrical connector for a corresponding one of the modules and wherein each one of the processing unit modules includes;

a case, such case having stored therein;

(A) a motherboard;

a central processing unit plugged into the motherboard; and

,

a main memory plugged into the motherboard;

(B) an interconnect printed circuit board, electrically connected to the motherboard, such interconnect printed circuit board having a second electrical connector at a rear end of the interconnect printed circuit board; and

(C) wherein such second electrical connector is adapted enable the processing unit module to plug into the corresponding one of the first electrical connectors.

7. The data server recited in claim 6 wherein the interconnect printed circuit board has mounted thereto a DC to DC converter, such DC to DC converter comprising:

an electrical connection receiving DC power from the second electrical connector, and wherein the first electrical connector is coupled to a DC supply voltage; and

,

a plurality of electrical connections, each one thereof supplying the received DC power at a corresponding different voltage level to a corresponding different one of a plurality of electrical components in such one of the plurality of processing unit modules.

8. The data server recited in claim 7 wherein the DC to DC converter supplies DC power to the processing unit.

9. The data server recited in claim 8 wherein each one of the cases includes a fan and wherein the DC to DC converter supplies DC power to the fan.

10. A data server, comprising:

a plurality of hot replaceable processing unit modules, each one of the processing unit modules including;

a motherboard having plugged therein;

a CPU, main memory and I/O adapted card;

an interconnect printed board, such interconnect printed circuit board having a first electrical connector and a DC to DC converter electrically connected to the first electrical connector; and

a backplane having a second electrical connector adapted to mate with, and electrically connect to, the first electrical connector for coupling to a DC power supply.

11. A data server, comprising:

(A) a cabinet having a plurality of storage compartments;

(B) a backplane mounted to the cabinet;

(a) such backplane having a power bus; and

(b) a plurality of first electrical connectors, each one thereof being disposed at a rear end of a corresponding one of the plurality of storage compartments;

(C) a DC power supply disposed in the cabinet and electrically connected to the power bus for supplying DC power to the power bus, such bus distributing the supplied DC power to the plurality of first electrical connectors;

(D) a plurality of DC powered processing unit modules disposed in the plurality of storage compartments, each one of the modules having;

(a) a case, such case having stored therein;

(i) a motherboard;

a central processing unit plugged into the motherboard;

a main memory plugged into the motherboard;

(ii) an interconnect printed circuit board having;

an electrical connection to the motherboard;

a second electrical connector disposed at a rear end of the interconnect printed circuit board; and

,

a DC to DC converter having;

an electrical connection to the second electrical connector for receiving the DC power provided by the DC power supply on the power bus; and

,

a plurality of electrical connections, each one thereof supplying the received DC power at a voltage level corresponding to at least one of a plurality of electrical components in such one of the plurality of processing unit modules; and

,

(iii) wherein such second electrical connector is adapted to enable the processing unit module to be plugged into and removed from the one of the plurality of first electrical connectors disposed at the rear of one of the plurality of storage compartments.

12. The data server recited in claim 11 wherein the plurality of DC powered processing unit modules are hot replaceable.

13. The data server recited in claim 11 wherein the case includes a fan.

14. The data server recited in claim 13 wherein the fan is powered by one of the plurality of electrical connections from the DC to DC converter.